Heaven Ain't Close In A Place Like This
by The Knowledge Zombie
Summary: Shishio and Yumi and how they met, also Sojiro. Basically how Shishio/Yumi came to be and all the troubles of them becoming involved with each other. I hate summaries... please read and review? pwease!
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of the characters. I simply writing for enjoyment and entertainment. All rights reserved to the creators. I have not written a sotry in a long while, so let the criticism be constructive.**

* * *

Makoto Shishio's POV

My once former glory – Gone. My body scared deep far beneath the skin that is now charred. I was betrayed by those who paid me for my services, all because I was far better than the Battousai. Now I will plan to take my revenge on the pathetic Meiji government, but I must build an army of those of exceptional skills. Yes…and it was still start with this small boy, Sojiro. So young and viable, anything I tell this boy he takes to heart. He is my right hand man.

"Sojiro" I call for the young boy, who comes running with a smile upon his face, something I have grown accustom too.

"Yes Mr. Shishio?" He stands one hand by his side, another holding his sword, that is almost as tall as he is. Yet, he is far more skilled with it then men twice his age.

"Have you gathered food and practiced as I instructed?" I take out my pipe, to which he hurries to fill it with fresh tobacco and lights it for me as he speaks.

"Of course Mr. Shishio, I always do what you ask and I do it with ---" I cut him off with putting my hand up slightly and shoo him away from my personal space. He bows for his inconvenience and rushes off to get my food.

I smirk, for several months I have taken in and trained this boy, to be the best and my servant at the same time. After some quality time with my smoking pipe, Sojiro returns with fresh food on a plate, neatly assembled. He bows as he puts the food in front of me, kneeling on side of me just smiling. I put the pipe aside and Sojiro takes the pipe cleans it and refills it for me so I can enjoy it once again after my meal. I eat and watch him do this, the boy never complains and I enjoy this from him. I eat ¾ of the contents on the plate and hand the plate to Sojiro, who gets up ready to throw it away.

"Sojiro, the rest is for you." I say picking up my pipe and relighting it, giving him my left overs was something I rarely did. He kneels back down and bows for his meal and begins to eat the rest of the food on the plate. After he is finished, he cleans up, and leaves me to my thoughts. I finish my smoking and put the pipe down in its usual spot and Sojiro rushes over to get it but I put my hand up to stop him. He stops and kneels; he has become well trained in knowing my commands.

"Tonight, Sojiro, we are off to Kyoto. We need to start building and planning our revenge for the Meiji government. So make sure what we need is packed and ready by midnight. We can only travel by night; I will scare the people who wander in the day light if I am out." Young Sojiro smirks and hurries off to perform his tasks. I stand and make my way off to rebadged myself before the long journey to Kyoto.


	2. Chapter 2

Sojiro doubled checked to make everything was packed. Two small bags and our Katana's in hand, we left in the dead of night, on our way to Kyoto. The boy was quiet, as we walked in the dark shadows of the moon, out of sight of anyone that could be out. We finally made it out of the small town we were staying in just walking for miles and miles. Sojiro looked up at me and then back to the ground at one point and I ignored this, not wanting to start a conversation, but the boy persisted on looking up and then down. Finally I gave in.

"What Sojiro" I asked coldly and quickened my pace as if I could ignore the question.

"Mr. Sishio…" He began but quickly became silent "What did I tell you Sojiro, to finish the thought or never to start them never finishing them will only get you into a world of trouble." The boy nodded and continued.

"I was wondering if we were going to stop soon, I mean it has been a couple of hours." I hadn't realized the time had gone by so quickly and the boy was right, it had been a few hours since we left the town. I shrugged and kept walking faster the small boy tried to keep up with me but was failing miserably. I stopped and Sojiro caught up to me.

"What is the matter Sojiro, you never usually have a hard time keeping up." I was watching the boy, he was panting like a dog who ran for miles on end with no break. Sojiro was sweating and using his Katana as support. Then he looked up at me and tried to give me that same smile he always had but started to collapse. I caught the boy in my arm and turned him over so his face was looking up at mine. He had passed out, yet he was sweating uncontrollably and his skin had grown a pale color. I placed him on the side of the road with his stuff next to him, and started to walk away. I stopped when I had gotten 10 feet away from Sojiro, wondering if what I was doing to him was right.

"Great…" I sighed walking back to him and then put the boy on my back, he cradled his small arms around my neck lightly. I picked up his bag and Katana and kept walking for another couple of miles in hope of finding somewhere to hide myself and Sojiro. When I did come across a building it wasn't abandoned at all but full of woman. I hid behind a tree near the well outside the small building. I put Sojiro against the tree, his breathing was heavy and wheezing.

I gritted my teeth, I didn't need baggage on my trip to Kyoto, but a part of me could not simply leave this boy to die. Yes, I did believe in the Philosophy and recited it "The strong shall survive and…" Sojiro unconsciously finished it "the weak shall die." Sojiro had a strong will to live and it was even more reason to make sure he was okay and train him never to be this weak again. I heard a door slide open from the building and a woman walked out. Her kimo simply draped around her shoulders and her brown hair neatly assembled into a bun with part of her hair in front of her face. I smirked and drew my sword and quickly ran behind her with the sword to her neck.

She dropped the bucket that had not been filled with water to the ground and she began to shake. "Now listen you little whore, if you want to live you will let me stay in your room with no interruptions and do exactly as I say or I will slay not only you but everyone who resides in this building, do you understand?" She nodded and I lead her over to the tree were Sojiro was leaned against. "Pick him up and show me to your room." She picked up Sojiro, carefully and began to walk inside. I grabbed my stuff and his and followed this woman. She stopped at the entrance of the building and looked both ways into the hallway and motioned me to follow her. The woman looked as she was about to cry, she had no knowledge of fighting that was apparent and she made no attempt to call for help. We walked into her room and I slide her door shut, locking it. She put Sojiro down on her bed, which was messy to begin with. My face twisted with disgust to what Sojiro could be laying in, and what that woman had done in that bed just recently. The woman looked at me and I stared right back at her.

* * *

Sorry if Shishio went slightly out of character with Sojiro, I feel that Shishio thought of Sojiro as a son, so yeah. If it was to OFC I won't do it again or as noticeable.


	3. Chapter 3

Her eyes kept looking at me, wandering to every part of my body. It looked like she was sizing me up and I smirked, sitting in a chair that was in the corner of the room, I held my sword in one hand and let the metal touch part of my leg to keep it near me, just in case.

"What? Never seen a live mummy before?" She turned away, her gaze now on Sojiro. "Why don't you fetch him a cold rag for his fever and perhaps some food" I did not ask, but demanded. The woman nodded and headed towards the door. "Remember," I said with a grin upon my face. "If one soul knows me and him are here you and everyone else dies." She opened the door walked out and closed it behind her.

***Yumi's POV***

As I closed the door I ran down the hall way, hoping now one would stop me. The last thing I wanted was for everyone here to get killed. I held my kimono tight, so it would not fall as I ran. I finally reached the medicine room, looking quickly through the room I found a cloth and medicine for the small boy. Quickly wetting the cloth, I rushed out of the medicine room and I was soon stopped by one of my '_customers.'_ The man, over barrenly had bad breath and a modern day hair cut, nothing like the samurai use to wear. I stepped back and coughed lightly, inhaling way too much of his bad breath. I looked up at him slightly he had a drunken grin on his face, hoping I would simply lead him to my room for '_negotiations_.'

"Mr. Akzukan, I am sorry but I already have a customer for the night maybe in the morning" I quickly said but mentally hoping I would be alive in the morning. The grin disappeared off his face, and soon became rage. He grabbed my arm and with all his might he slammed me against the wall, I let out a small scream but kept me head pointed directly at the ground, as my eyes clenched tight at the pain he administered on me. I held onto the wet cloth and medicine with dear life afraid to drop it, not fearing him but the man in my room.

"Now listen to me, you are going to take me back to your room, like a proper woman would and let me rough you up a bit for your behavior." He hissed into my ear and licked it with his nasty tongue. My shudder was acknowledged and he gave me a swift smack to the face with the back of his hand. With my free hand I gently rubbed my face, feeling the fierce sting and the bruise that would soon develop on my cheek. He gave me a cold stare and I knew I was too weak to overpower him but if he went back to my room that man would surely kill him and possibly me. Akzukan rewrapped his fat hand around my delicate arm and began to basically drag me back to my room. I only prayed to Buddha, that the mummy man would spare me.

***Shishio's POV***

The whorish woman was taking longer than I anticipated, and I began to fidget in the chair. Sojirio's breathing had become harsher and I was getting very impatient. I wasn't sure how much longer he could take the illness, but I soon heard commotion in the hallway and stood up. My sword ready, if the woman did happen to bring company back, I was always a man of my word. A fatter man opened the door and walked in basically dragging the woman in with her. He closed the door, locking it. The man turned to the bed and let go of the woman. I was still hidden in the shadows, he was unaware of my presence and I was eager to kill him. I was about to strike when he spoke.

"Stupid woman, what is this _boy_, doing in your bed? Have you sunk so low to get pleasure, when you could simply find me?" The man asked in a dominant tone, and the woman held the medicine closer to her chest. At least she brought that with her. The man stepped forward towards her with his hand raised in the air. My sword was read for his flesh and once I saw his hand coming down to smack her face, I lunged forward, my blade cutting through the very thickets of his fat neck. Blood squirted from his neck, flowing also down his once white shirt. He tried to stop the bleeding by covering his hands over his neck, but soon fell to the floor and died. I smirked and let my sword soak in the blood its metal had exposed. The woman was in horror, she couldn't move, not even a shriek was heard. I put my sword through the man's stomach and dragged the woman by her arm towards Sojiro.

I quickly snapped my fingers and she looked up at me, shocked, she had never seen blood like this by the way her face was contorting. "Tend to the boy" I let go of her and she began to tend to Sojiro, without once looking behind her at the blood mess I created.

I crouched down and began to look through the man affects, he seemed to be a rich man from the amount of money he carried, to which I pocketed it all. Nothing else was of value to me so I removed my sword and simply dragged the fat man to the corner of the room and covered him with a blanket that happened to be on the ground next to the bed. I looked over where Sojiro was, and the woman had just finished giving him medicine and placing the wet cloth on his forehead. She didn't move and kept in her position. I sat down in the chair in the corner of the room once more and carefully cleaned my sword. The woman finally stood up and walked over the window, the moon was beginning its decent and soon the sun would rise. In the moon light I saw the red mark on her face, to which I believe the fat man gave her. I shrugged it off, not wanting to hear her complaints and kept my eyes on Sojiro. The woman sat down against the wall, pulling her knees closer to her, she began to speak quietly, I couldn't hear what she was saying and she did this for 20 minutes. I finally got agitated. "What the hell are you saying?" I demanded.


	4. Chapter 4

Been too long since I looked at these stories, hopefully I can tend to a few of them and finish a few off. So here we go...

"Nothing, don't worry about it" Her voice cracking with each word that left her shaken body. "Just spit it out, the dying boy here" I pointed to Sojiro, "has more courage to speak about his thoughts than you." I honestly didn't care what she had to say, I just wanted the quiet. Her hand quickly rubbed her eyes and looked at me. For the first time I saw her, not as the courtesan she was, but for the weak human being she really was. "I was just saying" She was saying in a low tone, "How I am always the unfortunate one, I don't understand how I keep ending up in these situations, and this time the police are going to imprison me" Her eyes then looked away, staring at the man I killed. I gave out a small laugh "You are subjected to this because you are weak, even this boy could tell you that. It is why he has survived his horrid past, why he is fighting this illness, to become stronger and once he is he will become stronger than everyone but me." She said nothing her eyes staring deeply at the floor stained in blood. I watched her for some time until she looked at me with a look I hadn't seen since Sojiro killed his family. "And how does one become stronger?" She questioned as she looked towards Sojiro "Especially when one doesn't want to fight? I don't understand how the weak can become strong, especially when I've been weak my whole life and I never wanted to be that, I always wanted to be strong, but I just don't…" She stopped talking after that and kept staring at Sojiro.

This woman stood there for sometime staring at Sojiro, but never at me. The sight of me must have bothered her greatly. After changing over the wet cloth for the boy, she placed herself back against the window sill, where no blood had touched. She sighed and closed her eyes, carefully sliding down against the wall, both her and Sojiro were fast asleep after that. I watched them both for some time, wondering if I should kill the woman and put her out of her misery. She had seen me and could report me to the police, I clenched my sword tightly and looked out the window. It was almost sunrise, soon someone would notice the fat man missing. I got up and walked over to Sojiro, his breathing had regulated and his fever had broken from the look on his sleeping face. We would leave in a couple hours before the sun could be seen over the trees. I then turned my attention to the wench on the floor and drew my sword. I pointed it directly at her, she must have felt my presence, cause she woke and tried to back away from the tip of my sword.

"Please," She said out of breath at that very moment of being woken up and put into shock "If you want to kill me then just do it, or leave me here and I won't tell a soul about you. I will say I killed him" Her voice was cracking again but maybe she wasn't at weak as I thought "You are ready to die at anytime, no hesitation, no second thought" I said with a grin "I might have some use for you after all. Come gather your things, if you refuse I will bind and gag you, and give you such a horrid death that you would have wished that the fat man would have killed you instead" I placed my sword back into its sheath, she scurried off the floor and quickly gathered her things. An hour had passed and she had two small bags ready. I walked over to Sojiro and shook him, he opened his eyes and the smile reappeared on his face, liked nothing happened. "Oh, hi Mr. Shishio, what happened?" The boy said, looking around and saw the dead man and the woman, pointing "Who is that?" He asked curiously. "A new traveler, Sojiro. Come we need to leave right away" He nodded and gotten up, and jumping up and down lightly on the floor. "I feel so much better, should I go scout ahead?" I nodded and pointed to the window; he nodded and took his bag, threw it over his shoulder and jumped out the window. His speed was phenomenal, but far from what it would be in a few years. I looked at the women and pointed to the woman, she nodded picking up her bags, she climbed out the window and I followed her. By that time Sojiro returned, with a bright smile on his face. "We are all clear Mr. Shishio and …" The woman looked confused as she started at the boy, "Oh well my name is Yumi Komagata" Sojiro nodded with the same smile "Nice to meet you Ms. Yumi, I'm Sojiro Seta" I gritted my teeth, "Enough, Sojiro, let's go into the woods before the people start to come out of their homes" He nodded and picked up my bag. "Sure, no problem, right this way" We then walked out of the back of the building and into the woods; we walked for about 20 minutes before we came to a cave in the woods. "Is this OK, Mr. Shishio?" "Not bad Sojiro, now you know what to do while I am asleep, and keep an eye on her" I said with my red eyes glaring at the woman, Yumi. He nodded and gave a light 'mhm'. I made my way into the cave to sleep.


End file.
